


Better Together

by Kaitlin



Category: Final Fantasy XIV
Genre: F/F, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-06-19
Updated: 2016-06-19
Packaged: 2018-07-15 22:55:36
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 9,989
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7242148
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Kaitlin/pseuds/Kaitlin
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>101 Prompt Challenge using Hashalt Ish & Crystal Aubrey.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Better Together

**Author's Note:**

> This is a mess that got out of hand real fast. I was originally only going to do 10 or so but ended up doing them all so the quality varies. Don't take most of this seriously, it's either in jokes or stuff I made up on the fly to fill the prompts. Warnings for a combination of poor lore knowledge, liberal prompt interpretation, game breaking meta & Big Boss.

  1. **Introduction**



 Crystal wasn’t really sure how to go about what the kindly Yellowjacket Roegadyn had asked of her. It was “Probably infested with pirates.” He said mournfully pointing her towards the entrance of the cave and patting her on the back for luck, before shamelessly leaving her to her fate.

 The Archer eyed the ominous entrance before her; it stunk of dead fish and rancid stale sea water in a way that was beyond insulting to her Miqo’te senses. She began absently plucking at the string of her oak bow, the wood was unmarred and the string taunt with newness, she wasn’t even entirely sure how to use the weapon. Maybe she should have tried to make a living as something that wasn’t an Adventurer, perhaps the cooks guild was recruiting?

 “You need to enter the Sastasha Seagrot?”

 Daydreams of become a pastry chef interrupted, Crystal spun on her heels to see who was addressing her. The Hyurr was much taller than her and sported what she could only assume to be a Highlanders frame. She was belted up in a leather jerkin that looked a lot sturdier than Crystal’s own cloth garb.

 “Y-yes!” She tried not to fumble over her words,

 “I have other business there,” The Highlander smiled, “Would you like to go together?”

  1. **Loves me not**



Crystal pouted from her place on the wall that separated the Mist housing from the beach. The Miqo’te was sitting cross legged; her arms folded in irritation. She could see Hashalt further down the beach surrounded by a couple of large Roegadyn men. She laughed easily among them and often held their attention with what Crystal assumed were tales of her exploits. The young bard screwed her up her face. Why should she care? She’d obviously gotten the wrong idea.

“What are you doing out here by yourself?” Margaret asked leaning up against the wall next to the other Miqo’te.

“Nothing.” She said she curtly, struggling to keep her voice level.

Margaret held the awkward silence for a moment. “They make a good couple don’t they?” The monk tried to see to the heart of the problem.

“Yeah I guess.” Crystal hissed. Margaret realised her mistake.

“The Roegadyn-“ She added quickly “-with each other.” She stumbled over the words, not wanting to be misunderstood again.

  1. **Murderous**



A warrior’s rage was not easily quelled. Something Crystal had learned early on her. To protect their comrades, they paid a heavy price, challenging and controlling the _Inner Beast_ was no small matter. More than once after hard won battle she’d seen lingering shades of madness in the Hyurr’s eyes and noted how she would separate herself until she had reined it back in. Sometimes it would be over in minutes and she would return to the fold of her comrades like nothing had happened. Other times days would pass before Hashalt would trudge home, weary and often hurt, immediately heading towards bed where sleep would take her instantly.

Crystal hated those days, she hated the waiting she hated feeling helpless. But she was only a bard. The Miqo’te had wondered if she could compose a melody to quell the ill effect’s channelling a warrior’s strength but dismissed the idea as stupid and possibly dangerous. Instead she sat around the company house hoping beyond hope that the warrior would come back alright, and on the darkest of nights, that she would even come back at all.

  1. **Lethal habits**



“You didn’t use a cool down!”

“You used adloquium.”

“Only because I knew you wouldn’t use a cool down!”

“See? You are my cool down.”

  1. **Nemesis**



“Is that Raven Stormwind?” Hashalt suddenly stood up taller raising herself to her full height, furrowing her eyebrows, she put a hand on her axe leering at the male Miqo’te who was weaving his way through the busy market crowd towards them.

“Oh, no that’s not him.” Crystal panicked, leading her defensive Hyurr away by the arm, making slow progress in her attempt to drag the much bigger girl away. “Look at this dress! It’s beautiful.”

Hashalt ignored her only seeming to get more riled up, the hand on her axe was starting to pull it out of its sheath.

“Wouldn’t you like to see me in it?” She made a last ditch effort to prevent her friend from starting a brawl in the middle of Ul’dah. The warrior’s head snapped around a small blush on her face,

“Wait what?”

  1. **Lost**



“Where are we exactly?” The Hyurr frowned looking around the far off part of La Noscea she’d been dragged. They must be near the Salt Strand.

“Does it matter?” The Miqo’te grinned, “If we’re together?”

  1. **Telemarketer**



She had ignored the first buzz, sure that whoever had decided they needed her attention could wait. But the linkpearl rung thrice more and Hashalt growled angrily and offered an apologetic look to the Miqo’te. Crystal looked just as irritated at the interruption but said nothing as the Highlander rolled off of her.

 Hashalt activated the device and waited for the words to spill into her consciousness,

“…gold market..” parts of the message were indecipherable, “..cheapest rate! Visit…”

The Highlander cursed flinging the offending pearl away, before returning her attentions to her less than impressed wife.

  1. **"You're so full of shit."**



Hashalt turned to Ephillia.

“What did you just say?” The warrior grit her teeth, absolutely non-believing what she had heard the lithe dragon accusing her of.

“When are you going to tell her?” The Au'ra said expectantly while nonchalantly adjusting the wizard hat on her head.

“Tell her what.” The Highlander said flatly betraying any ignorance she feigned.

“We all know,” The summoner offered a little more sympathetically, changing tact, “I think it would be good to tell her.”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about.” The Hyurr growled before storming off.

  1. **Sentimental**



Moving in together had been a chore. The wedding had gone smoothly and they’d been lucky enough to get a prime house in the Goblet but sorting possessions was driving Crystal mad.

“You have so much junk!” She said pointing to just one of the many unsorted crates that littered what was supposed to be their bedroom.  

“Some of it’s important.” Hashalt said indignantly from where she was unpacking furniture.

“Oh yeah like this… why do you have…” The Miqo’te pulled out a large container, “A stack of 99 Table Salts?” She was bewildered “You’re a hoarder.”

Hashalt turned her back on her wife, face redder than she’d like.

“You gave those to me.” The warrior pointed out, suddenly becoming very interested in how straight a wall hanging was.

“As a joke!” Crystal gaped only now realizing her folly, she pawed further through the box.

“Are these acorn cookies? Wait, did you keep everything I ever gave you?”

  1. **Ambitions**



The dragon’s shrill cry filled the chamber echoing off the long forgotten Allagan machinery that both sustained and confined her. Twintania prowled Bahamut’s palm, clearly mad from her isolation beneath the earth.

 “I want to beat her” Crystal said, using a sternness she rarely mustered. Self belief blazing in her green eyes. The Highlander couldn’t help but find the mood infectious.

“Well then,” She said clapping a hand to the Miqo’tes shoulder. “I hope you’re looking forward to the twisters.”

  1. **Sacrifices**



“Do you ever miss it?” Hashalt asked her quietly one night. They’d sprawled out in the plush couches in the company estate in front of the fire, each with a book to read.

“Miss what?” The Miqo’te looked up from her novel.

“Being a bard…” The warrior frowned; she was looking for the right words, “… I don’t want you to give up your vocation for me.”

Crystal rolled her eyes, this was so typical of the Highlander it frustrated her.

“I didn’t become a healer for you.” She said simply, “I did it for myself.”

“But you-“ The Miqo’te silenced her with a look and Hashalt stopped talking, knowing better than to oppose her wife.

It was true one of the perks of switching roles meant Crystal was better able to take care of her warrior, but that wasn’t the only reason she made the jump. The Miqo’te sighed.

“Stop worrying for once, and relax.” The scholar brushed her knuckles over the warrior’s cheek. Hashalt closed her eyes and leaned into the touch.

  1. **Little quirks**



Crystal leaned up, like she always did, and pressed a chaste kiss to the Highlander’s cheek, like she always did.

“For luck” She explained, like she always did.

“Thanks.” The Hashalt nodded trying to pretend like they both weren’t lying, like they always did.

  1. **Sleep**



Often she would find the Miqo’te curled up asleep on the couch. She’d stubbornly insist on staying awake until Hashalt would come home, but didn’t have nearly the stamina to pull it off. Her tail was tucked neatly around herself and she looked much too comfortable to wake. With a gentleness she rarely used, the Highlander scooped the sleeping healer into her arms, enjoying the warmth of the girl against herself before taking her to her room.

  1. **Slender**



Someone had gotten married. Hashalt couldn’t remember who; she’d lost that bit of information to a mug of ale a while ago. The Highlander leaned heavily on the sofa feeling the warmth of the alcohol in her belly spread across the rest of her limp frame. There was a Lalafell dancing on a table – was that Liliana? – She had almost decided to investigate when a very drunk Miqo’te slid up next to her. Crystal leaned heavily on the Hyurr, curled up into her side, and promptly went to sleep. Hashalt lazily moved her arm to encircle her better and couldn’t help but notice how lithe the girl was, so small, so thin, so easy to break?

“I will protect you.” She said very matter of factly to no one in particular, alcohol slurring her speech, before dozing off herself.

  1. **Spiders**



Crystal couldn’t stop herself from laughing out loud at the warrior. She wasn’t cowering at least, she had more pride than that. But she was definitely standing behind her healer, and she was definitely waiting for the Miqo’te to do something about the spiders blocking their path.

  1. **Pagan**



Not one for religion until she was out of all other options, Hashalt inhaled a deeply, steeling herself for the enviable pain that was about to come. “Halone.” She pleaded, “Let me go home to her.”

  1. **Jewellery**



Hashalt unceremoniously thrust an armload of twinkling gems and ore towards the Elf. The goldsmith peered over the rims of his glasses, looking up from his current work and feigning sincerity,

“Can I help you Miss. Ish?” sarcasm dripping off every word.

“Yeah, yeah, okay.” She grumbled, “Can you make it or not?”

Zoltain picked up a couple of the gems and pretended to study them. “For the necklace you asked about earlier?”

The warrior nodded.

“High quality,” He noted, “your wife will like these.” He smirked seeing through the Hyurr’s intent finding victory in the rising crimson that stained her cheeks.

  1. **Filthy**



“Don’t go in there.” Coco’s eyes were wide as he barred the entrance to the free company estate, his arm flung out against the door. Caeter sighed running a hand down her face realising the full implications’ of the Roegadyn’s distressed state.

“In the lounge? Again?”

Coco just nodded.

“They’re filthy”

  1. **Respectable**



There was a time and a place to be respectable, Crystal thought quietly to herself as she watched the wedding unfold before her. This was the third time this week she’d been dragged up to the Temple Of The Twelve. She only vaguely knew the brides of this joining and was only here to be polite.

But not too polite she smirked to herself as she sat confidently on Hashalt’s lap, ignoring the few scandalized looks it garnered from other guests.

She felt her choice justified when the tank looped her arms loosely around her torso.

“They’re staring” She heard the quiet words whispered to her left.

“Let them.” The Miqo’te grinned.

  1. **Nobility**



Even Nanamo Ul Namo, The Sultan of Ul’dah, the seventeenth of her name, had realised there was more than meets the eye going on between the duo.  

They’d been summoned for some diplomatic show of inclusion, Crystal wasn’t terribly interested in the details, but she was never one to turn down good food. After the initial meet and greet the awkwardness had subsided substantially as all parties enjoyed their meal together. Even Hashalt had been on her best behaviour, she hadn’t picked a fight once all evening. As the night carried on the talk turned from politics to the more comfortable conversation of everyday life, something the healer was much more interested in.

“If you don’t mind me saying,” Nanamo had smiled from behind the largest blueberry tart Crystal had ever seen, “You two make quite the couple.”

Hashalt made a gagging noise and nearly sprayed the table with a mouthful of expensive Ishgardian wine while Miqo’te simply smiled and thanked the Lalafell.

  1. **Asphyxiate**



“How do you feel about choking?”

  1. **Radiant**



Hashalt rarely smiled. Crystal had noted this early on in their friendship. She wasn’t inherently angry or overly cross, she just had to be coaxed into showing genuine warmth. A smile was not to be confused with a smirk the Highlander was arrogant enough to affront too many people with those. At this point she’d like to think of herself as a professional in the art of extracting smiles from the taller girl. A wink, an accidental brushing of hands, a “congratulations” was all it took her now to draw a small smile out of the Highlander, and she cherished every one of them.

  1. **A waste of time**



“I’m sorry for wasting your time.” The Miqo’te pouted looking at her feet, “I was sure I saw the Leech King over this way…” Hashalt silenced her by pressing a gloved finger to her lips. The Highlander paused a second trying to remember the exact phrasing of what she wanted to quote.

“Does it matter?” The paused for effect, “If we’re together?”

  1. **Outstanding**



The Miqo’te loosed a flurry of arrows at the overgrown Sahagin, knowing her aim to be true when it cried out raising its flippered hand to cover its face. She could see at least two of her arrows had found purchase.

“Good work!” The Highlander had called out as she knocked it over to finish it off, and Crystal couldn’t help but feel proud of herself.

  1. **Hold me**



They’d been caught in the rain walking between Camp Tranquil and Quarrymill. Luckily enough there had been an oversized hollowed out log not too far off the road, which both Hyurr and Miqo’te had been grateful to take shelter in. The air was chill and Hashalt could feel it through her leather armour. Her heart went out to the healer shivering in her flimsy robe pieces who stood a few paces away ringing water out of her long blonde hair and shaking it from her Miqo’te ears. When she noticed she was being watched Crystal had taken it as in invitation. With no other words required she walked over to warrior who was more than happy to offer her the embrace of her arms from the cold weather.

  1. **Whispers**



The Highlanders heart had quickened when Crystal has positioned herself close enough to whisper in her ear.

“Do you want…” Hashalt’s breath hitched, “…to ditch this party and go get that Eggs Benedict you wanted earlier?”

  1. **Don't worry**



There was blood everywhere. It pooled warmly underneath the warriors body and she lay still in the dark crimson puddle. She’d always thought her death would be a quick thing, funny how things work out. Crystal had run out of aether to twist and mend with a long time ago, over extending and abusing her connection to magick to much to get them even this far. A shame really, the warrior thought, that they would fail here of all places. Crystal knelt beside her applying pressure to one of the more gruesome wounds on the Highlander’s hip where the armour was wrent and blood flowed out unhindered.

“You’re okay, you’re okay.” The Miqo’te kept repeating, as if the more she said it the more she might believe it.

She was cold, and it was getting hard to keep herself above a fog that seemed so welcoming to sink into. Where even were they? She decided it didn’t matter, she raised a gloved hand to cup Crystal’s tear streaked face.

“Don’t worry,” She mumbled feeling numb all over, “I’ll protect you.”

  1. **Smother**



“Smothering” The taller girl shook her head. “Is nothing like choking.”

  1. **Crush**



“How’s that crush working out for you?” Crystal grinned up at her friend who’d been lost in thought.

“What crush?” Hashalt was beyond proud she’d kept a quaver out of her voice, not feeling nearly as clam as she sounded. The Miqo’te pointed to the tall Roegadyn who’d been standing further down the way.

“What’s his name? Black Tornado?” She continued, “You always talk to him, so you know, I figured…”She trailed off with a playful smirk on her face. The Highlander had never been so relieved in all her life.

  1. **Crash**



 The ugly Sahagin leered angrily at Crystal as she stood shocked holding her bow in front of her like it might defend her from his long gnarled arms.

“Move!” She’d heard the warrior yell at some point but she was stuck transfixed before the stinking beast, the smell of rotten fish reeking from his mouth, it’s eyes whirling madly.

Hashalt shoved her aside with an elbow, sending the Miqo’te sprawling on the wet cave floor. The Highlander hit the beast with a swing from under its jaw that clamped its mouth shut, it looked dazed from the impact.

“Don’t just stand there, shoot it!”

  1. **Slow motion**



There were a few times in her life Hashalt had felt the world go into slow motion. Almost all were near death experiences. Curious Gorge had been a hard task master and had nearly killed her more than once in her pursuit of a warrior’s knowledge. Another honourable mention went out to Brayflox’s Longstop, a place she had resolved never to step into again, she didn’t care how good the cheese was, that dragon had been a nightmare. What she never expected to add to that list however; was her first kiss.

  1. **Funeral**



It was eternally cold in Corethas. The wind whipped her hair around her face and stung her eyes. The frigid ice gnawed at her fingers and her toes felt like a numb suggestion. None of this, however, was as cold as Haurchefant’s body. The thought was a dim thing that ate at her from the inside as Crystal clung tightly to her coat and cried enough tears for the both of them.

  1. **Crossroads**



The weight of the paths that lay before her was staggering. She was a good bard, and she enjoyed playing songs to strengthen her allies and raining hell from above with her arrows on her foes, but she often felt called to something else. When she saw her comrades (Hashalt) bruised and bloody (Hashalt) Often much closer to death than she would like (Hashalt) She wondered if there was more she could do for them? She steeled herself in her decision as she knocked twice on the hardwood door of the Arcanist’s Guild, and entered.

  1. **Tattoo**



Crystal picked the palette off the oak dressing table and brought it over to where her wife was fussing with the armoured buckles of her metallic boots. She permitted herself a smile as she watched the Hyurr struggle; their usual morning routine. When she was done she bid her to sit on the sofa that furnished their private chambers.

Comfortable in her familiarity she sat herself on Hashalt’s lap, and with a practiced hand pushed the tank’s brown hair out of her face, tucking it behind her ears a little smug she was the only one who got to see the Highlander this way. She took the lid off the palette and dipped her forefinger in the powdery red paint. She hummed quietly to herself as she brushed a crimson stripe over pale skin, before painting its twin on the other cheek. The Hyurr closed her eyes as Crystal moved to press spots to her eyebrows.

She always enjoyed this time together in their mornings it was when the warrior was the least guarded and entirely hers. When she finished the last spot of paint she paused before pressed a quick kiss to the end of her nose.

  1. **Dancing**



She made a mental note to thank Rikimaru later for stitching together that flimsy Thavnairian silk into the dancing costume the Miqo’te was currently twirling around in. The pink material fluttered as Crystal stepped nimbly in a pattern enjoying the way the cloth followed her movements.

That however would be much later, she thought as she watched the healer advance on her, purpose in her steps.

  1. **Star gazing**



Okay maybe, Hashalt had to admit, this camping thing wasn’t as bad as promised. She wasn’t sure how but Crystal has managed to find the only part of The Shroud that wasn’t so thickly blanketed with leaves that you couldn’t see the stars above. Perhaps, she also had to admit that with only one set of sleep supplies, having the Miqo’te huddled close enough to share body heat while mapping constellations above wasn’t the worst way to spend the night.

  1. **Guilty**



“Raven was acting so strange today.” Crystal commented as she set cutlery on the table, eyeing her wife suspiciously.

“Is that so?” The warrior said nonchalantly as she flipped the thick fish fillet in the pan she had in hand, apparently in high spirits.

“I only tried to say hello to him,” The healer continued, “But when he saw me he looked like he’d seen a ghost, I’ve never seen a Miqo’te run so fast…” She trailed off before fixing the Highlander with a look. “You wouldn’t happen to know why?”

“Me?” Hashalt glanced over her shoulder with the poorest excuse for an innocent face the scholar had even seen. “Definitely not.” She said with a straight face, the corners of her lips twitching ever so slightly.

  1. **Stop and stare**



Not one to preen over herself Hashalt often ignored the mirror all together but couldn’t help but stare when she caught sight of her reflection this morning. Gone were the ever present bags under her eyes. She reached up to touch her face wondering why it looked softer only to realise it was because her eyebrows weren’t furrowed. Had she really changed this much? The warrior was still reeling at the differences wrought on her face when she noticed the unmistakable purple bruise on her neck. She hastily walked away from the mirror intent on finding her most concealing armour. She hoped she hadn’t thrown out her Darklight.

  1. **Friction**



The superfluous cloth on Crystal’s healer robes caught and snagged on the jagged edges of the Hyurr’s armour.

“Take it off.” The Miqo’te said unceremoniously. Hashalt didn’t need to be told twice.

  1. **Jaw**



She’d found more than one weak spot on the Hyurr, and she delighted in collecting more. Today she’d learned that when kissed just right, the spot where jaw met neck would melt the ever uptight warrior into something much more manageable.

  1. **Sleeping bag**



Camping it rough in the Shroud hadn’t been on Hashalt’s agenda but Crystal had got her way, as she often did, so there they were pitching a make shift tent on a river bank in some remote part of the forest. The Highlander had asked if they could at least do this somewhere else as she was sure she’d seen Morbols on the way in, but the healer had deemed this “the perfect spot” and that was that. As she pulled out the last few things from their packs and paused, frowning.

“There’s only one sleeping bag.” The warrior pointed at the rolled up cloth sitting leaning against the tent wall.

“I only packed one.” The Miqo’te grinned from where she was starting a fire

“Oh.” The Hyurr turned away to hide her red face.

  1. **Rough**



“Is that really how you want it? Last chance to back out.”

  1. **"You take that back."**



“He died more than once in the story.” She calmly pointed out, The Miqo’te’s ear’s flattened back against her head. “It’s a very old Highlander fable.” Hashalt tried to explain.

“Every man you’ve ever loved is dead,” The warrior said smugly, “But don’t worry” She put an arm around Crystal’s shoulder and kissed her cheek. “I’m not.”

  1. **Scissors**



Crystal looked angrily in the mirror. The green slime had well adhered it’s self to her blonde tresses and refused to be moved by magick or water. She could take small comfort in the fact that the offending Morbol who had decided to spit all over her was dead, but now that she was home and struggling with the aftermath, it didn’t seem like enough compensation.

“We’re going to have to cut it,” The Highlander said mournfully separating the contaminated part from the clean pieces, “and more from the other side too, to even it out.” She arranged the rest of the Miqo’te’s long hair behind her. “Don’t worry,” She smiled, “You’ll look just as cute with a shorter cut.”

Stuck in front of the mirror Crystal had to watch in horror as a blush spread across her face.

  1. **Touch the clouds**



Hashalt could only gape in awe at the sight of the Miqo’te’s upturned smile towards the sky during their first flight in the Sea of Clouds. The Highlander realised then, she would never see anything more beautiful than Crystal with her hair whipping wildly in the wind, a joyous look on her face.

  1. **Tackle**



She’d been gone for days. “Scholar stuff” Was all she had said before heading on out to some far-flung corner of La Noscea. The wait was starting to make the Highlander feel not right, but she wouldn’t pretend to know what scholar’s did or didn’t do to complete their training.

When the Miqo’te had finally trundled home, she’d gotten nary a step in the door when the full force of a one very glad Highlander had been flung against her, scooping her up in her strong arms.

  1. **It takes three**



“I’m not saying we should have a threesome” The Miqo’te paused her eyes trailing after Sir Aymeric as he walked out of the room, “But we could.”

  1. **Forbidden**



Ishgard was an uptight city. Religion and rule were heavily intertwined, and upon crossing The Steps of Faith, the two had been very aware that they needed to be careful before testing the waters of the other nation’s attitude towards the rest of Eorzea’s more liberal outlook. That had lasted, Crystal thought, a good two and a half days. Admittedly it was busy evening for The Forgotten Knight and the corner they found themselves in was dark. She just hoped the other patrons were too distracted by their own mirth to notice a Highlander and a Miqo’te that had long ago abandoned their cups for other entertainment.

  1. **Viral**



“I thought only Crystal was sick?” Caeter asked emerging from the hall with a tray of used plates, haphazardly putting them down next to the sink. Ephillia smirked from her place in the kitchen where she putting away clean ceramics.

“That was the case.” She said simply, “Hash caught it from her.” The Au’ra turned to look at the bard and winked.

“Oh.” Caeter paused thoughtfully as she filled the sink with water “I guess they do spend all their time together.”

“That’s not… quite what I meant.” Ephillia laughed to herself, deciding to leave it there. She was sure the Caeter would figure it out soon enough.

  1. **Retreat**



“Go.” The warrior growled, parrying another blow from the dragon that was advancing on their position. Crystal said nothing as she continued to apply poisons to the beast who didn’t appear to be slowing down what so ever. The snow was deep this far out from Camp Dragonhead and if she wanted to get a good head start, the healer needed to leave sooner rather than later.

“Go.” Hashalt repeated again, this time sounding legitimately angry at the Miqo’te who continued to stubbornly support the warriors defence against the drake.

“Yeah because I’m going to leave you here to die.” She rolled her eyes at the tank, “Haven’t you realised by now, we’re in this together?” She stepped up beside Hashalt, unafraid of the dangerous positioning. The Highlander chanced a glance at her partner despite the need to keep aware of the dragon’s movements. She sighed and shook her head, returning her focus to the dragon but couldn’t quite keep the smile off her face.

  1. **Can't say I'm sorry**



“This is okay, right?” The healer’s ever cheerfulness replaced with an uncharacteristic hesitance. The Miqo’te had been silent the entire boat ride from Gridania to the Lavender Beds. It broke Hashalt’s heart to see Crystal so utterly defeated. She offered the smaller girl an arm, which she gratefully linked herself onto as they disembarked onto the wharf and made their way towards what would be a new start for them both.

“Of course it is.” She smiled down at her wife, “I can’t say I’m sorry to see the back of that place.”

  1. **Wire**



“I’m going to have to pull it out.” The Miqo’te said calmly, her voice not matching the heightened state of panic she was feeling. The damaged Garlean Mech had caught them off guard, and while Hashalt had managed to fell it, the surprise attack had left her open and to a particularly hard clobber from the robot. She’d come off better off for the fight, but the ugly piece of wiring had driven right through her upper thigh.

“Just do it then.” The Highlander grit her teeth looking away from the mess than was her leg. She couldn’t feel the wound in its entirety, but hot blood flooding from where the wire protruded was starting to make her feel sick. Crystal steeled herself as she put her hands on the protruding metal.

  1. **Lead**



The earth opened up before them, glittering dangerously with the promise of Allagan secrets. As she followed the Highlander deep into the maw, Crystal wondered if there was anywhere Hashalt could lead her that she would not follow.

  1. **Pop**



At least it was original, she thought as she feigned being unimpressed by crossing her legs from her seat at the table. She’d wondered why the Miqo’te had gone to great lengths to getting such a huge cake made for the Highlander’s birthday. Ultimately, she realised, she shouldn’t have been surprised when two mostly naked Au’ra’s popped out of the tiered baking master piece.

  1. **Web**



“Not laughing now are we?” The Highlander said unimpressed, skirting the large arachnid’s corpse to make her way towards Crystal. “You look like you’re having such a great time up there.” She folded her arms and smirked, looking up at her other half.

Crystal had gotten caught in a sticky green web that spanned half a dozen trees in the South Shroud. Something disgusting had evidently crawled out of Totorak and tried to make its home top side. The Miqo’te had gotten snagged around her ankles and immediately pulled higher up into the branches of a stout looking oak by the large spider. The beast had been easy enough to fell with the warrior’s practiced hand, any prior reservations about spiders put out of mind upon seeing Crystal put in possible danger. But now that danger had passed, she wasn’t going to let the Miqo’te get away with the jibbing comment’s she’d made earlier.

  1. **Time capsule**



The Sastasha Seagrot hadn’t changed much since the last time they’d been there. The echoing sounds of the ocean hummed through the network of caves accompanied by the steady drip of the damp stalactites. But instead of unsure actions and a measure of awkwardness, Hyurr and Miqo’te stepped in sync as a single unit.

  1. **Gamble**



The Lights of the Gold Saucer twinkled above them as they walked into the establishment for the first time. “It’s beautiful!” The Miqo’te grinned rushing forward into the throngs of people, Hashalt hastened her step behind the excited healer who was already making her way to a desk in the middle of the lobby.

“I want to try everything!” Crystal called back looking over her shoulder. The Hyurr sighed quietly wondering how much of her gil her other half was about to spend.

  1. **Show off**



It wasn’t really showing off she decided as she made another swipe at the training dummy. The Hyurr had always intended to train with a sword today, she was slowly getting better with blades, it was just fortuitous that she had company on the lawn. The Miqo’te probably wasn’t watching anyway she decided making an impressive arc with the gladiator’s tool, this revelation didn’t stop her from making sure each blow had her body stretch out to extenuate her strength and form.

  1. **Wh-what?**



“It’s you.” The Highlander said calmly, liberated by the truth.

  1. **"Don't touch me."**



“Step back!” She hissed rounding on the Miqo’te. Crystal didn’t flinch before the warrior, the Inner Beast was talking now, she’d seen it a hundred times before.

“I will not.” She said simply standing before the imposing Highlander. Hashalt was breathing heavily and the madness glinted in her eyes. Crystal hated it. Without any more fuss she simply stepped forward and wrapped her arms around the enraged warrior.

“D-don’t touch me!” The Hyurr stammered. The Miqo’te could hear the receding effects of berserk leaving besides the other woman’s protests. They stood quietly before a time before Hashalt wrapped her own arms around the Miqo’te and buried her face in her hair.

  1. **Play pretend**



Raven Stormwind leaned on the wall that ran parallel to the Mist board walk. Crystal stood awkwardly before him, discomfort evident in the way she held herself. Raven was oblivious to her body language and continued his one sided conversation with the bard. Hashalt simmered from her place on lawn. She didn’t have to go over there. It really was none of her business who the Miqo’te kept company with but she couldn’t help but feel angry as she saw how he shuffled closer to her whenever he could.

Without really thinking about what she was doing she was on her feet, marching towards the boardwalk, and before she knew it, had linked her arm with Crystal’s.

Crystal gave her a quick glance while Raven looked affronted.

“Introduce me to your friend, dear.” Hashalt was proud of how normal her voice was despite how ridiculous she realised she was being.

Crystal gave her friend a sideways look before introducing the pair. Raven had found a quick excuse to leave not long after, and the bard had been most relieved.

“Sorry,” Hashalt said looking sheepish, “you looked like you needed an out.” She offered, failing to mention the part where she wanted to keep the Miqo’te’s attentions for herself.

  1. **Tea time**



Their friendship has blossomed after clearing out the pirate scum from the Sastasha Seagrot, and the two had found every excuse to do their tasks together. Hashalt ever an opportunist had not wanted to say no when invited out to a chic café in Gridana with her friend. She hadn’t realised however, that this meant she would have to drink tea. The offending leaf water sat in front of her steaming and pungent, it took a special kind of resolve to not screw up her face. Crystal was happily drinking hers and telling her all too much about the practices of the Keeper’s of the Moon. The Highlander nodded and looked down at the less than appealing drink before her raising it to her lips and taking a tentative sip, using all of her self control to not gag. Next time, she thought, they were going on a date to Limsa. At the thought she nearly choked on her mouthful of nettlewater. Was this a date?

  1. **Veranda**



She hadn’t been able to find a house with a veranda in the Goblet. It was reasonably understandable; the arid air of Thanalan didn’t really make it appealing to most investors and very few plants that weren’t cacti could flourish in the conditions. The Highlander grunted as she shoved the last pot into place, her task finished. It wasn’t outside, but she hopped the garden basement would be enough to make it up to the Miqo’te.

  1. **Unwind**



Languidly the Hyurr ran the comb through the healer’s thick blonde hair, smirking at the way Crystal leaned into the brush when it came too close to her ears. She learned pretty early on that the best way to de-stress a Miqo’te was to brush their hair. With a practiced hand she pulled the lengths together before separating the sections out and pulling them over one another into a simple braid. Idly the Highlander wondered if enough of this attention would make a Miqo’te purr.

  1. **Reincarnation**



Tapping her heels together the Mithra turned into a well practiced flourish, she kicked out with nimble legs while laying into the offending Coeurl with deep cuts from the twinkling daggers clasped in her hands. Moving without pause into a sleek samba step she skirted out of the reach of its hooked claws, never once missing a beat. With a final quickstep she dashed in, her blades finding purchase in the great felines neck. It gave a roar before collapsing into a heap spluttering blood into the Valkurm Dunes.

Her dance had not gone unnoticed by the Paladin Hume who had been taking the brunt of Coeurl’s attacks. She watched in avid interested as The Mithra sheathed her weapons and smoothed her clothing back into order.

“I’m going to marry that cat.” She mumbled quietly to herself.

  1. **Gag**



She wasn’t really nervous. Maybe she was sweating a little bit. But it was always hot at the Mist. Of course the sun was doing this to her, she lied to herself, adjusting the tie on her white suit. I mean, why was everyone staring anyway? This was really none of their business. She looked up from her shoes to meet the eyes of the expectant Miqo’te in front of her, who’s grin couldn’t have been any bigger if she had tried.

“Uhhh” The Hyurr stammered, making one nervous look to the market board where too many of their friends were pretending to not watch the awkward spectacle on the beach.

Hashalt kneeled, and focused her eyes on the ground as if it might disappear from under her if she stopped looking at it.

“Will you marry me?”

  1. **Fantasy**



“How many of these did you want to try?” Hashalt looked bewildered at the list Crystal had thrust into her hand. “Fourteen” She said cheerily, “This is the final one, I promise.”

  1. **Piano**



“Why did you buy us a piano.” Hashalt gestured to the offending instrument that was currently littering the middle of their lobby. It was a nice enough piece, the polished wood gleamed under the lights, it had obviously cost a lot of gil. “Neither of us know how to play.” The Hyurr sighed in irritation.

The Miqo’te frowned at her partner’s attitude, “It’s was pretty.” She explained walking to stand in front of it, leaning on the keys. “Besides…” She trailed off, looking innocent, “there’s more than one use for it.”

  1. **Unfortunate**



It was just unfortunate really, the Highlander thought to herself as she stepped over the quickly chilling corpse of the highway man, that he’d decided to attack the healer. Hashalt probably would have let him go with a whack over the head if he’d tried his luck with her, but he’d chosen poorly and there was a price to pay for daring to lay a hand on the Miqo’te.

  1. **Pillowcase**



The Highlander narrowed her eyes when she saw the offending pillow on their bed. It was twice as long as it should have been and painted on it was the visage of a man with an eyepatch.

The Miqo'te had been sitting in the basement when she heard her name ring throughout the house. She laughed quietly before deciding she might be best to hide from her wife's expectant rage. 

  1. **Backed up**



They’d gotten in over their heads. Backed up against a corner in Amdapor they’d lost sight of their entering party, and Hashalt hoped distractedly that Riki and Zolt hadn’t died when they had decided to tumble through that hole in the floor. If they weren’t dead she noted that she would kill them herself later.

Crystal poisoned the approaching Succubus before Hashalt lashed out with a mean swing of her axe, it connected but there was still the problem of the shambling demon spawn making their way towards them.

“Don’t really want to die here.” The Hyurr joked, half serious.

“Like I’d let you,” as if to prove her words the scholar spun a magic embrace around the warrior to clear up some of the smaller cut’s she’d taken. One of the smaller fiends had slipped past the Highlander and was raising an ugly clawed hand to swipe at the Miqo’te, she stepped back to take care of it with one swing.

  1. **Calculate**



“How much force.” The highlander paused, looking down from their perch on the roof. “Do you suppose it would take to kick a Lalafell from here to the river?”

  1. **Punishment**



Crystal stood on the lawn, wooden paddle in hand.

Hashalt nearly fainted.

  1. **Confront**



Limsa Lominsa was a cramped place on a slow day, let alone when the streets were thrumming with people looking for bargains. Hashalt was on route to her favourite fish when a Miqo’te barrelled hard into her side. Thanking her natural Highlander hardness she had come out better off for the encounter, the offender now sprawled on the floor in front her, annoyed shoppers skirting him. She offered the young man a hand up when she realised who he was she grinned wickedly.

“Raven Stormwind.” She said pleasantly.

The boy looked alarmed when he realised who’s hand he was clasping but couldn’t let go as he was already halfway to hauled up.

“Hashalt, Nice to see you.” He lied looking around for a quick exit from this social situation, there was none. Hashalt squeezed his hand harder, not intending to let go any time soon.

“What brings you to Limsa?” She said kept up the façade of friendliness, a dangerous smile on her face.

“Oh, you know, this and that.” He tried to pull his hand free, but failed, Hashalt pretended not to notice.

“I’m just getting some fish for my,” She paused looking down her nose at the boy, “Wife.” Enjoying the way the word sounded in her mouth, and enjoying even more the way the Miqo’te looked stricken.

“Is that so!” He tried to sound jovial and failed. She wondered idly if she could break his hand by squeezing it hard enough.

“I best be on my way before they sell out of her favourite.” She said curtly, “Have a good day Raven.” She smiled finally letting go of his hand. He’d been struggling harder against her grip that he’d realized which had left him to fall backwards without the counterweight. She had to stop herself from laughing as she carried on down the market, onlookers staring at the ground ridden Miqo’te.

  1. **Face the truth**



“I don’t want any children.” The Hyurr said indignantly taking a swig from her mug.

“Well that’s too bad,” The Miquo’te beamed, “you already have at least 20.”

  1. **Painkillers**



Nael Deus Darnus was a bitch. The paladin had decided there was no way around the descriptor as she raised a shield block a flick of the dragon-woman’s claw before skewering Curtana forward. It was a poor move. The White Raven easily parried landing a mean blow to the tanks left flank. A sticky warmth followed by excruciating pain nearly had the Hyurr doubling over, she meekly raised her shield to meet the next attack but found her vision swimming.

But as quickly as the pain had come, it was gone. On the edges of the battle she could see a very intent looking Miqo’te conducting an orchestra of spells from her tome. Weaving a symphony of aether around Hashalt to stitch back together her broken skin and mend cracked ribs. The crescendo broke leaving the paladin feeling revitalized. The magic tingled her skin not unlike a lovers lingering touch and she could feel the last pieces of her body right themselves.

  1. **Irrational**



“He’s not coming” The Highlander crossed her arm’s glaring down at the Miqo’te. “You are not inviting Raven Stormwind to our wedding.”

  1. **Parental**



“You don’t know how to Circle of Scorn?” The Highlander asked raising an eyebrow as she looked up at Coco. The Roegadyn looked almost embarrassed before he admitted he didn’t.

“I’ve tried,” He continued, “Can you show me?” He made a weak play at thrusting his sword into the lawn but nothing happened. Hashalt frowned.

“You just kind of…” She drew her own blade upright before piercing the earth, pillars of light shone through showing her success. “Like that.” She offered.

Coco looked in despair at the show. “But that’s what I did.”

Crystal poked her head out of the free company estate’s door, “If you’re done playing with your son, dinners ready!”

Hashalt patted him on the back, “You’ll just have to keep practising.”

  1. **Stormy**



Thunder and lightning cracked loudly overhead. The warrior frowned. This was the third storm they’d had in as many days. She laid in her bed and counted the minutes until the quiet knock came at her chamber door – two and a half – before getting up to admit who she knew was on the other side. Crystal stood in her night clothes waiting in the hall shaking slightly, holding a pillow to herself. Hashalt said nothing as she stepped aside and admitted the girl to her room who quickly found her usual spot on the bed. The Miqo’te was terrified of storms, she’d not wanted to pry into the reasons, but had been more than happy to give the bard a place to feel safe during them. The warrior lay down on her side of the bed and started to drift off when the thunder rolled in the sky again, Crystal squeaked before curling up closer to the Highlander.

“I’ll protect you.” She mumbled sleepily throwing one arm over the flighty Miqo’te.

  1. **Synonymous**



A healer. A doctor. A mender. Someone versed in the art in the reconstruction of things broken. A person gifted in specialist skills and wizardry over a magic that was not to maim, but to cure and hold and cradle and care. A practitioner of a therapy so potent it brought those teetering on the fine line of death back to the world of the living. A miracle worker.

Juxtaposed to herself she couldn’t help but laugh. A warrior. A soldier. A fighter. A partisan of nothing but battle. Someone skilled in the game of hurt, pretending to play the hero, a guardian (of what she wondered) a conqueror. She dealt death to those in front of her. She couldn’t help but wonder, what the Miqo’te saw in her that was worth sticking around for.

  1. **Misheard**



“Use a cool down!” The Miqo’te barked. She was stressed, keeping the rest of this alliance alive was driving her mad, let alone having to micromanage her warrior wife who absolutely should have known better.

“What was that? You’re going to adlo me? Thanks!” The Highlander shouted back from the front of the fray where she had the attention of the all too big Bone Dragon.

  1. **Craving**



“Crystal please…” The Highlander begged, “I really… really want it…” She rolled over to the half asleep Miqo’te who really wasn’t having any of Hashalt’s pestering this early in the morning. Ignoring the healers refusal she wrapped her arms around Crystal and buried her face in her neck

“Please,” she asked again, “Go get us some Eggs Benedict…”

  1. **Retribution**



The Highlander had failed. She’d given herself one goal and she’d made a mess of it. Hashalt was to protect Crystal above all else, but now the healer lay strewn face down in the dirt. The sight of it provoked an irrational anger she’d never known before. Rage uncoiled itself deep inside of her and she knew that it was a dangerous source of power to tap, she’d seen Curious Gorge nearly lose himself to the potent drug that was the Inner Beast, but she couldn’t find it in herself to care. She let it fill her unhindered and unfiltered. Her bones felt alight and her vision doubled before sharpening on the foe before her. She raised her axe.

  1. **Sly**



The Miqo’te pretended to be interested in her bow strings from her perch on the lawn. It was a hot day at the Mist and Hashalt was practicing with a Gladiator’s sword at the striking dummy. Crystal peered idly from over her bow to watch the Highlander’s movements. She admired the resoluteness in her stride and the confidence of her stance. Her firm grip on the sword and the tense set of the shoulders. Crystal looked away when the Hyurr made a sweeping blow that had her spin on the spot so to not get caught but flicked her eyes back to the display of strength again as soon as Hashalt’s back was turned again.

  1. **Drunk**



The wedding had gone pretty well all things considered. Despite half a dozen too many Holy’s cast by overzealous guests the event had gone a lot smoother than the Miqo’te would have dreamed. Even her wife, the new word made her smile outwardly, was being mellow. The festivities had died down a bit and the few guests left at the estate were talking quietly in groups, or passed out on chairs. Crystal snuggled in closer to the Highlander who was sitting upright on the sofa, her drunken state betrayed by the reds of her cheeks and the slightest of slurs to her words.

“I just don’t get it.” A black haired Miqo’te shook her head from an adjacent chair. “How do you and Crystal… you know…” she made an obscene hand gesture.

Crystal sat bolt upright when she realised the context of the conversation going on around her. With enough drink in her to bolster her confidence Hashalt grinned smugly, “Kit, do you really want me to answer that?” eyes twinkling mischievously. Before things could get out of hand an Au’ra clamped a hand over Kit’s mouth and narrowed his eyes at the untactful cat.

“No she doesn’t.” Riki said firmly while the black haired Miqo’te struggled under his grip. Crystal shot the dragon a thankful look.

  1. **Foreign**



There was a blizzard at Camp Dragonhead. Well, there was always a blizzard at Camp Dragonhead but this one was particularly mean. Hail whipped through the air pelting the Chocobo making their trudge towards the great gate as difficult as possible. The Steps of Faith loomed ominous before them, a bridge into the unknown, a pathway to the future.

The snow came halfway up the Highlanders shins as she guided the hesitant bird towards Ishgard. Crystal clung quietly to the back of the Chocobo, never one to favour the cold. Wordlessly Hashalt reached up to squeeze the Miqo’tes hand in reassurance as they moved Heavensward.

  1. **Emotional**



“I’m sorry.” The words tumbled out of the Highlander’s mouth in a tangle. Crystal had never seen the Hyurr so visibly upset, but she couldn’t stop herself from thinking that perhaps just this once, she deserved it. “I made a mistake.” The words were clumsy, not because they were untrue but because they were an admittance of weakness, something rarely exhibited by their owner. Hashalt moved forward to clasp her gloved hands around Crystal’s smaller one. The Miqo’te did not move, only watched.

  1. **Yo-yo**



Sometimes the healer was beyond confident that her intuition was correct. The accidental brushes, lingering glances, the extreme protectiveness… these weren’t just something she was reading too far into, were they? But on days like today when the Highlander was so absorbed in her own world, barely paying attention to her, she couldn’t help but think that she was seeing only what she wanted to see.

  1. **Kitchen**



Coco walked out of the kitchen as fast as he walked in. That was a lot more of his mother than he had ever needed to see, let alone the Miqo’te. Maybe he wouldn’t have minded so much if it was a rare occurrence but this was the second time this week he’d been denied a midnight snack because those two couldn’t keep it to their rooms.

  1. **Unimportant**



“You wanted to tell me something earlier?” Hashalt asked, coming up beside the Miqo’te and offering her a smile. Crystal shook her head and looked away.

“Don’t worry about it,” she lied, “it’s nothing important.”

  1. **Instructions**



“I’ve never done this before.” The Highlander confessed, heat rising to her cheeks. Crystal smirked from below.

“Let me show you.” She said softly, placing her hands over Hashalt’s and enjoying how her breath quickened from the contact. “You have to be firm, but gentle.” She instructed positioning the Hyurr’s hand in the sweet spot she'd learned from much practice. “Too much pressure and you won’t get the desired result.” She said quietly.

Hashalt loosed the arrow and it missed, scaring the lamb away. Crystal patted her on the back. “Maybe you should stick to your axe…” She offered sympathetically, trying to hide her smugness.

  1. **Details**



“I think it went something like this,” Crystal interjected, “Heal me right now!” She tried her best impression of the Highlander, “Now now now!” She comically furrowed her brow in a way that was typical of the Hyurr and earned more than a few laughs from their audience.

“I don’t think that detail matters…” Hashalt muttered looking away, pouting.

  1. **Miniscule**



“I am not!” Crystal had hissed, her ears flat against her head, the surest sign of her irritation.

“You are.” Hashalt commented, picking up the Miqo’te with one arm and flinging her over her shoulder. “The smallest cat I’ve ever seen.”

  1. **Memorization**



Late at night when the Highlander slept, Crystal would trace the winding scars over the warrior’s body seeking to memorize each one. Half a dozen were gained in the pursuit of her protection, and she hated them, the raised pink flesh a map of her failures. She brushed her hand lightly over a particularly ugly healed over puncture wound on the Hyurr’s upper thigh, wishing there was some way she could protect and take care of Hashalt as much as she took care of her.

  1. **Burn**



 Phoenix’s fire blazed hot around the expansive room. The blue flames obscured senses and seared flesh without much regard for how armour or magick shielding should ward it. The bird dived again leaving yet another hazardous stripe of ever burning flame in its wake. Hashalt gritted her teeth, the sooner they were out of here the better. She didn’t like being cut off from the rest of her party, let alone her healers. The wall of flames wavered and she saw Crystal standing stalwart behind them, quill in hand as she directed spells towards the rest of their unfortunate party. The Miqote was so engrossed in her casting she didn’t see the Primal ready it’s next charge which would take it right into the path of the healer. The Highlander didn’t think twice about running forward and leaping through the wall of flames, scorching much of her legs to push Crystal out of the birds path.

  1. **Shoulder(s)**



“There’s a reason I’m usually the one to carry you.” Hashalt winced as she grumbled out the complaint.

“Stop talking. You’re only wasting strength.” The bard hissed, not in the mood to listen to her friend’s sarcasm. The Hyurr’s leg had been bleeding rivers since she’d pulled out the twisted wiry debris. She’d made a makeshift bandage out of a ripped sleeve, but despite this blood still surged out of the wound at an alarming rate. The Highlander couldn’t stand on her own; something in there was probably broken. The Miqo’te wondered how far Saint Coinach's Find was from their current position. They couldn’t have wandered too far out from the camp. The Highlander’s heavy weight on her shoulder was a burden, but she wouldn’t stop until they made it.

  1. **Rhythm**



There was a synchronized gait to the rhythm they shared when facing down their greatest challenges. It was not unlike a dance. Crystal twisted her wrists to direct the flow of her magic forward to heal and protect. Hashalt would step forward then back, skirting the edges of danger, while the Miqo’te would embrace her with both empowering and protecting aether watching as the confident Highlander would go to do tremendous lengths to keep her safe from harm, while she would do everything in her power to mend and balm the wounds of war.

  1. **Echo**



After that final utterance Hashalt’s hand had gone limp, smearing blood down the scholar’s face and her heart went still.

“No.” She said the word like it could undo all reality.

“No.” She said it again, gritting her teeth, cutting her lip on her sharp pointers. Something stirred angrily inside of her, uncoiling and filling her tired and cold body with a power she did not recognise, she felt it warm the tips of her fingers and set purpose to her heart.

Crystal did not know where she drew this strength from and she did not care, suddenly it all seemed so easy. She directed the flow of power into the warrior’s still warm body, knitting flesh and bone back together, setting aright all wrongs. It spent her. Whatever power she had found it left as quick as it came. She looked expectantly at Hashalt’s still body and tried to deny what she already knew: healing the flesh was not the same as putting life back into it.

Defeated beyond all belief, the scholar simply blacked out.

  1. **Wrists**



The rope burn on her wrists would have been an easy fix for the healer, but she’d told the Miqo’te to leave them, they would heal on their own.

  1. **Eternal**



The concept of eternity was something to laugh at for those who had helped fell gods. But despite all this Hashalt was confident the love she shared with the Miqo’te would last forever.

  1. **Die young**



She became dimly aware that she was being carried. The gentle rocking motion made her feel ill, body completely spent in a way she had never known. A twilight of distorted sense racked her frame and she twitched in the strong arms that held her. “Try to stay still.” She heard from somewhere distant. She crawled through the dense fog that clouded her mind and opened her eyes to the harsh light of day.

Hashalt looked very much alive as she carried her up and out of the caves beneath Castrum Occidens, looking down to smile in relief at the Miqo’te in her arms.

“I thought you were dead for a while there.” The Highlander spoke softly, eyes full of concern.

“You did die.” The words escaped Crystal’s mouth in a panic, her eyes squinting against the harsh light “I saw you die.” Her mind was trying to play catch up to what was going on around her.

“Don’t sell yourself short,” The Hyurr tried to joke, but the worry in her eyes betrayed her, “You’re a better healer than that.” Crystal wanted to protest she wanted an explanation for why they both weren’t as dead and buried as the Allagans but right now but was too tired to fight for answers.

“You rest.” The Highlander instructed, adjusting her hold on the Miqo’te so it was firmer, “I’ll protect you.”

 


End file.
